Window washers commonly work in locations high above a crowded street. Also, plumbers, electricians, and painters commonly are required to work on high level platforms or rigging when working on ceiling areas of a building, which again can be high above the floor of the building.
The accidental dropping of a tool by a workman can pose extreme hazard to persons located in the area beneath the work area, the tool, if dropped, being capable of causing bodily injury to any person on which the tool impacts.
Window washers commonly are required to employ large squeegees in the performance of their work. Plumbers and pipefitters are required to employ heavy wrenches in the performance of their work. Electricians are required to employ heavy screw drivers, and side-cutting pliers in the performance of their work. Painters, are required to employ scrapers, paint rollers, and sanding blocks in the performance of their work. The above-named tools and implements are representative only of an enormous variety of tools and implements used in various trades for various purposes. Such tools and implements usually are hand-held by the workmen, usually in the absence of a tether or leash that attaches the tool or implement either to a structure in the immediate vicinity of the workman, or, more commonly, to a tool belt worn by the workman when working in elevated locations.
While it is possible to provide apertures in the respective tools in order to pass a leash through the handle of that tool, and then tie the leash to the workman's tool belt, such an operation is an entirely cumbrous one, and, one which is entirely unpredictable in its efficiency. The workman can intentionally omit to tie the leash to the workman's tool belt, or, can tie it to the workman's tool belt inappropriately, or, discard the leash. Such leashes can be inconvenient and an annoyance to the workman.
Further, in the event that the tool accidentally is dropped by the workman, there is no guarantee that the leash has been made sufficiently secure, in which event the tool can possibly break away from the leash, and continue its downward descent in free fall.